Bank holiday breakfast of dreams - sweet blueberry and oat pancakes. I love whipping these up for my boyfriend and I at the weekend. Nothing beats a lazy morning in bed with pancakes and Netflix!
They don't involve much prep and cook really quickly. Just whizz together the ingredients in a blender and cook each pancake for a couple of minutes! I love drizzling mine in a pool of maple syrup!
Ingredients: Serves two - 8 pancakes
2 cups of rolled oats
2 eggs - replace with 2 flax eggs to make vegan•
1 cup of nut milk - I use Plenish almond milk
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp maple syrup + more to drizzle on top
1/2 cup of blueberries - fresh or frozen
1 tbsp coconut oil - to cook with
Pinch of salt
• 1 x flax egg = 2 tbsp flax seeds + 6 tbsp water. Mix together in a cup and allow to set for 5 minutes.
Method:
Add all ingredients, except the blueberries and coconut oil, into a blender and blitz until smooth. Once blended, stir in the blueberries.
Heat a pan with a little coconut oil and add some of the mix into the pan. Cook for a minute or so each side - until they start to brown.
Repeat until all the pancake mix is gone.
Stack the pancakes on a plate, drizzle with maple and top with blueberries.
This is my go to salad when I'm craving something nutritious and tasty. For me, a great tasting salad is all about a delicious dressing, drizzled all over my veggies. This dressing is nice and sweet, which really compliments the potato and cranberries.
I've been incorporating sweet potatoes into my diet a lot recently. They're super delicious, really filling and full of wonderful vitamins (mainly A and C). They're thought to help improve skin and generally strengthen the immune system, which are two things I'm aiming for at the moment!
This dish is vegan friendly, but free feel to add in some chicken for those who aren't and are seeking some extra protein!
Ingredients:
150g kale
2 sweet potatoes
1/2 cup of quinoa
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Dressing:
2 tbsp tamari - gf soy sauce
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp ex v olive oil
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Chop the sweet potato into cubes and place on a lined baking tray. Season with olive oil, cayenne pepper and salt and oven for 20-30 minutes.
Whilst the potatoes are roasting, prepare the quinoa. Add 2 cups of water into a pan along with the quinoa and simmer for approx. 15 minutes, until soft.
Steam the kale for 5 minutes, until soft and place into a large bowl.
To prepare the dressing, add all of the dressing ingredients into a cup and whisk together with a folk. Place to one side.
Once the quinoa is cooked, drain the excess water and add into the bowl with the kale. Then remove the sweet potatoes from the oven when they're nice a crisp and stir into the bowl.
Sprinkle in the cranberries and drizzle the dressing all over the salad. Mix well before serving.
Busy days calls for quick dinners, which is why I'm a big fan of a good old fashioned stir fry. It's my go to dish when I'm craving something warming and speedy. You can whip one up in a matter of minutes and they're a great way to use up left over veg in the fridge.
This one is by far my favourite dish at the moment, I've been making it a lot recently and can't get enough of it. It's vegan friendly and the combination of tamari and maple syrup gives it a hint of sweet and sour. I've used tofu instead of meat, although this recipe will also work well with chicken or prawns.
I've really got into tofu
lately. I wasn’t a fan previously as my experience with it left me thinking it was tasteless and soggy, but I've found the key to cooking it is firstly patting it dry with a paper towel
to remove the excess water and then frying it until it’s nice and crisp! Tofu is made from
soy beans and is packed with protein, so it's a great replacement for meat. It’s
also a great source of iron and calcium and contains a number of amino acids which
helps to build muscle. I'm really enjoying experimenting with it at the moment.
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as me! I'd love to hear what you think! :)
Ingredients: Serves 2
200g organic tofu
30g noodles - I use brown rice noodles
1 onion - chopped. For those following the LOW FODMAP diet, substitute for spring onions.
1 cup of chopped broccoli
1 cup of spinach
1/2 cup montague
2 tbsp. tamari - (GF soy sauce)
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. garam masala
1. tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
Tofu Marinade:
2 tbsp. tamari sauce
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
Method:
Start by patting the tofu with a paper towel to absorb the excess water and slice into little squares. Add the chopped tofu into a bowl along with the marinade ingredients and mix well. Set to one side for approx 5-10 minutes.
Heat a pan with olive oil and add in the tofu and marinade. Sauté for a couple of minutes each side, until it starts to brown. Then add the onions, garam masala, cinnamon and cayenne pepper and sauté for another couple of minutes.
Add in the broccoli, montague, spinach, tamari, maple syrup and salt and simmer for 5 minutes. If the sauce starts to dry up, add a little water.
Boil the kettle and add the boiling water and noodles into a pan and cook as per the instructions.
Drain the noodles and add into the stir fry pan. Remove from the heat and serve!
Growing up I used to love making chocolate krispies with a box of sugar puffs, melted chocolate and a ton of sugar! So I was determined to recreate a healthier version of my favourite childhood snack - and I don't feel I'm too far off it with these little squares of deliciousness! They're so indulgent and taste like a real naughty treat.
I've made these using puffed brown rice. The brand I've gone for is called 'Kallo' and I've used their 'organic wholegrain brown rice cereal' which you can pick up in your local Holland and Barrett store, although any other brand will also work. They're completely free from wheat, gluten dairy and refined sugar and are just a fun, tasty little snack!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of puffed brown rice
30g cacao butter or 3 tbsp. coconut oil
3 tbsp. cacao powder
4 tbsp. almond butter
3 tbsp. of pure maple syrup / honey - depending how sweet you like it
Pinch of salt
Method:
In a pan, melt the cacao butter on a low heat until it turns to liquid.
Once melted, remove the pan from the hob and stir in the almond butter, cacao powder, maple syrup and salt. Mix well.
Add in the brown rice puffs and keep stirring until they're fully covered in chocolate.
Line a tray with clingfilm (to make it easier to remove once set) and add the krispies into the tray. Spread evenly, approx. 2cm high.
Using grease proof paper or something similar, push down really hard on the krispies in the tray to help them set and place in the freezer for a minimum of 1 hour.
Once set, remove from the freezer and slice into squares. Store in either the fridge or freezer.
This one is for all my ladies out there, who love all things pretty and pink (and delicious) - because why not bring a little glam to your breakfast! :)
I've been eating overnight oat birchers a lot recently as they're super simple to make and keep me full and fuelled throughout the day. You can mix it up by experimenting with different seasonal fruit to keep it varied. Adding a little beetroot powder not only makes your food look vibrantly prink, but also detoxes the liver and cleanses your blood.
You can also read all about the benefits of oats in my previous post that can be found here,
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of dry gf oats
1/2 cup of nut milk - I use Plenish cashew milk
1 tbsp. beetroot powder
1 tbsp. maple syrup / honey
1 tbsp. goji berries
Handful of raspberries
Method:
Add the oats, beetroot powder, goji berries, maple syrup and 1/2 cup of nut milk into a jar or bowl and mix well. Place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, add a dash more nut milk to create a cereal texture and sprinkle the raspberries on top!
I'm a bit late to the oat party as for a long time grains were
something that didn't sit too well with me. However as my digestive system
started to heal, I've been able to introduce a number of different foods back
into my diet, grains being one of them!
With this in mind, I've gone a little oat crazy when experimenting with recipes and I've been including them in everything! It's
fair to say I've gone a little oat-er the top (sorry).
Not-so-funny jokes aside, oats are a great addition to your diet. Here's just a few reasons why I include them in my diet daily;
- Oats are rich in antioxidants and avenanthramides, which can help reduce high
blood pressure.
- They are full of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, copper, zinc
and iron.
- They are packed with fibre, which increases the feeling of
fullness and ultimately help with weight loss.
- They help regulate bowl movement, which promotes a healthy digestive
tract.
- They can help lower and control blood sugar levels, which is particularly
beneficial for people suffering with diabetes.
This is a great breakfast as it sets me up for the day and keeps me full until lunchtime, so I avoid those mid morning snacks!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of dry gf oats
3 tbsp. flax seeds
1/2 cup of nut milk + a dash more to serve - I use Plenish cashew milk
1 tbsp. maple syrup / honey
2 tbsp. goji berries
4 strawberries
Small handful of blueberries
Method:
Add the oats, flax seeds, goji berries. maple syrup and 1/2 cup of nut milk into a jar or bowl and mix well. Place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, add a dash more nut milk to create a cereal texture. Chop the strawberries and sprinkle on top along with the blueberries.
I'm really enjoying these chewy oat and almond cookies! I've been baking and eating them for the last fortnight and still very much enjoying them. Completely free from wheat, gluten, dairy, refined sugar, flour and guilt! They go perfectly with a herbal tea in the afternoon to pick my energy levels up.
I don't normally eat biscuits for breakfast but I feel these are perfectly acceptable to munch on in the AM as they are loaded with fibre and protein that keeps you feeling full and won't play havoc with your blood sugar levels. They're easily portable too so are perfect if you want to grab a quick snack on the go!
I hope you enjoy these as much as me! Let me know what you think. :)
Ingredients: Makes approx. 12-14 cookies
1 1/2 cups gf rolled oats
3/4 cup almond butter - I use Pip & Nut (peanut butter will also work)
4 tbsp. pure maple syrup / honey
1 egg
1 flax egg (2 tbsp. flax seeds + 1/3 cup of water)*
1 tbsp. vanilla essence / powder
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 cup cacao nibs
Pinch of salt
*To make this recipe vegan, omit the egg and add an extra flax egg. Alternatively if you don't have flax seeds you can use 2 chicken eggs instead.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.
Make your flax egg by adding the flax seeds with water and set to one side.
Combine the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Then slowly stir in the oats and cacao nibs.
Beat the egg in a mug and pour into the bowl, along with your flax egg. Stir well until a sticky batter forms.
Line a baking tray with grease proof paper and using an ice-cream scoop, fill the scoop with the cookie batter and place on the paper (if you don't have an ice-cream or cookie scoop, roll the batter into balls). Gently push down to create a cookie shape.
Oven for approx. 10 - 15 minutes, and remove once golden and crunchy.
Leave to cool and enjoy!
I'm obsessed with this salad at the moment! I've been eating it for lunch and dinner for the last few days. Throughout the summer season, I always fancy something light in the evenings that fills me up and this dish certainly ticks those boxes.
This salad is super quick and easy to rustle up and is full of nutrition. It's got plenty of protein from the quinoa and lentils and the kale provides a high dose of fibre, anti-oxidants as well as a number of beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients: Serves two
150g of Kale
1/2 cup dry quinoa - rinsed
1/2 can of lentils - rinsed
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
Juice of 1 lemon
Glug of extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse well with water, until the water runs clear.
Add the quinoa into a pan with 3 cups of boiling water and simmer for approx. 15 minutes (if the water boils away too quickly before the quinoa is cooked, add a little more).
Place the kale in a steamer and steam for 3-5 minutes, until the kale has softened. If you don't have a steamer you can steam by putting the kale in a sieve over a pan of boiling water and pop a lid over the top for approx. 5 minutes.
Once the quinoa has cooked, drain the excess water and place in a large bowl. Add in the cooked kale, lentils and cranberries and mix well.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice to create a citrus dressing.
